Two weeks ago my friend/co-host of Three Strange Women, Jeska, and I attended Jincey Lumpkin's talk at Harvard University. She covered a number of important topics as well as told us some very personal details about her background, growing up hiding the fact that she is a lesbian, and her intentions through her creative work at Juicy Pink Box.
I was thrilled to meet her and had a great time. My favorite part was her question and answer segment at the end of the talk, because she answered everyone's questions in an honest, professional manner. I took some time to let everything she spoke about sink in before deciding to write about it.
"Don't get me wrong, I strongly believe that everyone has the right and freedom to be involved with whomever they please..."
Being a part of this experience made me think about my own views an opinions on sex. Jincey's story inspires me because she dealt with sexual abuse in the past and was able to overcome it.
Not everyone supports the idea of the porn industry and people selling their bodies. I personally have some very mixed views on the subject.
"I've noticed that there is a certain unavoidable stigma that comes from working in the sex industry,..."
Don't get me wrong, I strongly believe that everyone has the right and freedom to be involved with whomever they please. But in my opinion, porn and sex work in general are somewhat degrading to the individuals involved. Through my research and findings, I've noticed that many of the individuals in this business have experienced some form of sexual trauma. Acting out sexually (whether for money or not) may not be the most therapeutic way to deal with this particular type of trauma.
"I'm not going to say that I don't support the porn industry at all..."
I've noticed that there is a certain unavoidable stigma that comes from working in the sex industry, and from carelessly sleeping around in general. A decent amount of women work extremely hard to be noticed for their work that has nothing to do with sex. As far as social standards go, women have not always been equal to men, and sometimes I genuinely feel that when women allow themselves to be so easily objectified, it goes against every bit of respect we've worked so hard to earn. Not only is there the social stigma associated with sex work and promiscuous behavior, but there is also the very relevant issue of STD's.
Unfortunately, not everyone is keen to the idea that safe sex is important, and this is where I personally get a bit sketched out by certain aspects of the sex work industry and people's general sluttyness. And as cynical as it may sound, even people in committed relationships should be aware of the fact that sometimes, unfortunate events unfold, and hopefully their partner is smart enough to use protection if such a situation should arise.
"So, I think, if nothing else, I've made it pretty clear that I have very mixed feelings..."
I'm not going to say that I don't support the porn industry at all, because I know that there are most definitely sex-positive organizations out there which take safety seriously. In fact, that is one of the reasons I am a fan of the work Jincey is doing with Juicy Pink Box. It is good to know that there are women out there who are so proud of their sexuality that they can express it publicly. All of Jincey's stars are screened before they participate in sexual acts and the necessary means of protection are provided at video shoots. Another reason I am a supporter of the sex-positive Juicy Pink Box is that the stars of these films actually play a part in the casting of who they will be working with and what kind of sex acts they will be participating in. I also respect the fact that JPB does not cast women who are "Gay for Pay" (they all actually identify as LGBT). I think this level of respect and consideration for the women in the industry is a huge step in the right direction and sets a great example for other companies.
So, I think, if nothing else, I've made it pretty clear that I have very mixed feelings on the topics of casual sex, sex work, and carelessly sleeping around. I think a person's initial intentions are what is really important in each situation. There is nothing wrong with safe, consensual, adult sex (even for money), as long as everyone involved knows the risks and takes them into consideration.
-Jackie Soriano
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